Automated bioremediation system

Abstract

Embodiments of a bioremediation system and bioremediation methods provide for automatically measuring the progress of a bioremediation effort and automatically adjusting the bioremediation. In embodiments, one or more bioremediation stations are deployed in the geographic area associated with the bioremediation. The bioremediation stations provide measurement of important environment characteristics that help determine the progress of the bioremediation. Each set of data from each bioremediation station can be integrated into a single comprehensive assessment of the bioremediation across a portion or all of the geographical area. If an adjustment needs to be made to the bioremediation, a control message can be sent to the bioremediation station that can then automatically make the adjustment.

1 . A system for monitoring the effectiveness of a bioremediation, the system comprising:
 two or more bioremediation stations distributed spatially within a bioremediation area, each bioremediation station operable to measure a parameter associated with the bioremediation, each of the bioremediation stations being in peer-to-peer communication with another of the bioremediation stations to define a dynamically networked arrangement of bioremediation stations within the bioremediation area;   one or more communication stations in communication with at least one of the bioremediation stations to access the networked arrangement of the bioremediation stations and base stations; and   a central system in communication with the communication station and having programming instructions to analyze the effectiveness of the bioremediation from data collected by the two or more bioremediation stations.   
   
   
       2 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more base stations in communication with at least one of the bioremediation stations to access the networked arrangement of bioremediation stations, the base station operable to adjust the bioremediation;   wherein at least one communication station is in communication with at least one of the base stations; and   wherein the central system having programming instructions to adjust the bioremediation by sending commands to one or more of the base stations.   
   
   
       3 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the programming instructions include:
 instructions to identify the occurrence of an event by identifying a change in an event-defining parameter;   instructions to extract a plurality of derived parameters from the collected data;   instructions to determine a cross-correlation of the extracted plurality of derived parameters over the plurality of bioremediation stations; and   instructions to identify the effectiveness from the determined cross-correlation.   
   
   
       4 . The system as defined in  claim 3 , wherein:
 the collected data comprise a plurality of time-period correlatable parameters; and   the instructions to extract the plurality of derived parameters comprise instructions to calculate an autocorrelation of each of the plurality of time-period correlatable parameters.   
   
   
       5 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the bioremediation system comprises a hierarchical branching network with the plurality of bioremediation stations distributed throughout the hierarchical branching network. 
   
   
       6 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each bioremediation station has one or more detectors. 
   
   
       7 . The system as defined in  claim 6 , wherein at least one detector detects a chemical. 
   
   
       8 . The system as defined in  claim 6 , wherein at least one detector detects temperature. 
   
   
       9 . The system as defined in  claim 6 , wherein at least one detector is selected from the group consisting of a temperature detector, a pH detector, a thermal conductivity detector, and an electrical conductivity detector. 
   
   
       10 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the bioremediation system receives imagery data. 
   
   
       11 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the bioremediation system receives infrared data. 
   
   
       12 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the bioremediation system adjusts the bioremediation automatically by introducing an agent into the bioremediation area. 
   
   
       13 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the bioremediation stations is connected to a base station and receives power from the base station. 
   
   
       14 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the bioremediation area includes two or more environments; and   the central system further has programming instructions to correlate bioremediation effectiveness identified in each of the environments to provide adjustments to the bioremediation that is specific to each of the two or more environments.   
   
   
       15 . A method for monitoring a bioremediation, the method comprising:
 collecting data from a plurality of bioremediation stations distributed spatially within a bioremediation area, each of the bioremediation stations being in peer-to-peer communication with another of the bioremediation stations to define a dynamically networked arrangement of bioremediation stations within the bioremediation area, at least one of the bioremediation stations having a detector; and   determining the effectiveness of the bioremediation in one or more portions of the bioremediation area from the collected data.   
   
   
       16 . The method as defined in  claim 15  wherein determining the effectiveness from the collected data comprises:
 identifying a change in a parameter;   extracting a plurality of derived parameters from the collected data;   determining a cross-correlation of the extracted plurality of derived parameters over the plurality of bioremediation stations; and   identifying the effectiveness from the determined cross-correlation.   
   
   
       17 . The method as defined in  claim 16  wherein:
 the collected data comprise a plurality of time-period correlatable parameters; and   extracting the plurality of derived parameters comprises calculating an autocorrelation of each of the plurality of time-period correlatable parameters.   
   
   
       18 . The method as defined in  claim 15  wherein the bioremediation system comprises a hierarchical branching network with the plurality of bioremediation stations distributed throughout the hierarchical branching network. 
   
   
       19 . The method as defined in  claim 15  wherein the collected data includes a parameter that determines the presence of a chemical. 
   
   
       20 . The method as defined in  claim 15  wherein the at least one of the bioremediation stations further has a detector selected from the group consisting of a chemical detector, a temperature detector, a pH detector, a thermal conductivity detector, and an electrical conductivity detector. 
   
   
       21 . The method as defined in  claim 15 , further comprising creating a network with the two or more bioremediation stations. 
   
   
       22 . The method as defined in  claim 15  wherein the bioremediation area includes a plurality of environments, the method further comprising:
 monitoring a state of each environment; and   correlating abnormalities identified in each of the environments to provide a collective characterization of the plurality of environments.   
   
   
       23 . A bioremediation station for monitoring or adjusting a bioremediation, the bioremediation station comprising:
 one or more detectors operable to monitor one or more parameters associated with a bioremediation;   a remediation system operable to introduce one or more agents into the environment to adjust the bioremediation;   a communications interface operable to communicate with one or more other bioremediation stations to create a peer-to-peer network; and   a microcontroller in communication with the one or more detectors, the remediation system, and the communications interface, the microcontroller operable to send parameter measurements from the one or more detectors, send the parameter measurements to a central system via the communications interface, receive an adjustment command via the communications interface, and to execute the command with the remediation system.